Red Curry

It takes courage to move into a cursed location, whether it's a movie dad dismissing the evil of a haunted, cobwebbed old house; or A-Rod, dismissing the evil of Madonna's haunted, cobwebbed old...house. Making a similarly ballsy move, Red Curry.

Moved into a 200+ seat Old Town spot that's hosted an astonishing string of failed restaurants, Curry's betting that it'll overcome that sordid history with a staggering Pan-Asian menu and a wholly redone interior; upstairs, the window-filled grand dining room boasts giant wooden crossbeams and a high-steepled ceiling, while the ground floor's less formal, with steel bamboo shoots and a sushi bar so neon-sexy, it belongs in Miami Rice. The Pan starts with sushi -- nigiri/sashimi/maki, plus signature rolls like the spicy tuna/crab/avocado/fish roe "Union", the salmon/squid/fried yellowtail/Tobiko "Shogun" and the "Sumo", stuffed with enough lump crab meat and cream cheese to turn you into one. Heartier fare includes "Asian Grill" items like the salmon/shrimp/scallop/pineapple Coconut Curry Seafood and the asparagus/zucchini/peppers Laos Steak, as well as house specials including the lemongrass/leek/okra/tumalie chili sauce Chicken Peppercorn, and Korean-style "Incheon Bulgogi", primed to make a strategic landing in your belly.

Though still awaiting its liquor-license, Curry's got a full drink menu queued up, with Asian suds (Kirin, Singha, Tsingtao...), loads of hot and cold sake, and I-Hope-Nobody-Sees-Me cocktails like the Sake Margarita, the rum/green tea liqueur/lime Zen Mojito, and the Malibu/pineapple juice/black raspberry liqueur Pineapple Daisies -- or, what A-Rod could be pushing up after spending too much time in that...house.